What are the advantages of dual-core processors for servers

Server

Intel expects that more than 85% of server processors will have dual-or multi-core architectures in 2006. Now the reader to the dual-core technology to solve some of the doubts and problems to be shared. So what exactly is a dual-core processor?

To put it simply, a dual-core processor integrates two identical processor cores on a single processor substrate and consolidates two physical processor cores into one kernel. The processor's actual performance is the total number of instructions that the processor can handle during each clock cycle, so adding a kernel allows the processor to increase the number of units per clock cycle by one times.

In fact, putting two processor cores on top of a physical core is not a new technology. At the end of the last century, high-end multiprocessor server developers, such as HP, IBM, have proposed such a feasibility design and successfully launched the dual-core HP PA8800 and IBM POWER4 processors.

What is the difference between hyper-threading and dual-core technology?

Hyper-Threading (hyper-threading) technology allows a single physical kernel processor to simulate the effect of a dual processor running under symmetric processing mode. However, the two logical processors using Hyper-Threading technology do not have independent execution units, integer units, registers, or even caching resources. They still need to share the execution unit, caching and system bus interfaces, the two logical processors work alternately when multiple threads are executed, and if two threads need a resource at the same time, one of them is paused and the resource is to be left idle before it can continue.

The dual-core processor each core has a separate instruction set, execution unit, can carry out a number of tasks at the same time, allowing processor resources to truly implement parallel processing mode, its efficiency and performance improvement than hyper-Threading technology is much higher.

For example, when performing an operational task, 6 clock cycles are required in a single-threaded situation, but can be completed within 3 clock cycles under two threads. If a single core processor using Hyper-threading technology overlaps in one cycle, causing a thread to have a delay, the entire operation cycle may increase to 4.

What are the main advantages of dual-core technology?

First, the introduction of dual-core technology is an effective way to improve the performance of the processor. Due to the limitations of production technology, the traditional way to improve the performance of the processor by increasing the frequency of the process is currently facing serious obstacles, high-frequency CPU power consumption and heat more and more, has been to the whole machine cooling brings a very severe test. Dual-core technology can do a good job of avoiding this. By adding a kernel, the number of units that the processor can execute per clock cycle increases by one times.

Second, the introduction of dual-core architecture will also be able to fully increase the functionality of the processor, which is a very important factor. The introduction of dual-processor architecture and Microsoft's Next Generation Longhorn (Vista) operating system will contribute to the development of virtual technology to a large extent.

Virtualization technology will become a new bright spot in the computer platform in the 2006-2007. Either Intel's VT (virtualization Technology) technology or AMD Pacifica technology allows a physical computer to virtualize several virtual systems that can work independently using the same PC resources. In other words, these technologies allow users to run more than one operating system at the same time on their PCs so that each operating system solves a particular computing task. For example, a virtual system can scan a virus, and another virtual system could perform applications, word processing, or play games.

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